Vitality T20 Blast 2019: South Group, Sussex vs Essex: Dream11 Fantasy Cricket Tips – Playing XI, Pitch Report & Injury Update

Match Details:

The South Group game in the Vitality T20 Blast 2019 will be played between Sussex and Essex at the County Ground in Hove.

The match starts at 7:00 PM local time (11:30 PM IST) (6:00 PM GMT).

This game will be live on Sky Sports in India and Fan Code app in India.

Preview:

Sussex’s unbeaten spree finally came to an end last week when they toured London to face the Surrey team. Chasing a target of 164 to win, the visiting Sussex side was restricted to only 137/8. However, Sussex is still on top of the South Group despite this defeat. They have earned 15 points from ten matches as they six games while the remaining three finishing in a Tie or have been washed out.

However, they remain unbeaten at their home venue, the County Ground in Hove. They won four out of five matches this season at that venue while another game ended in a Tie. Sussex will host Essex on Thursday who are placed at No.8 in the South Group. Essex won only two matches thus far out of the six completed matches. As many as four matches of Essex ended without a result including three abandoned games.

Weather Condition/Report:

Hove is expected to be dry on Thursday with partial cloud covering during the day. The weather forecast doesn’t suggest any major threat to the game between Sussex and Essex. However, there is a minor possibility of drizzle starting from 10 PM local when the game is set towards a conclusion.

Pitch Condition/Report:

The domination of Sussex at home has not let to estimate the County Ground in Hove. Sussex have been good at restricting the opponents to a low total and chase it down comfortable. It can be assumed totals of 170+ can be tough to chase here. There will be a bit of swing with the new ball once the lights come on.

Average first innings score: 152 (T20 Blast matches in 2019)

Record of chasing teams: Won – 3, Lost – 1, Tied – 1

Injury and Availability News:

Jason Behrendorff has been roped in by Sussex for the remainder of the group stage as a replacement for Rashid Khan.

Probable Playing XIs:

Sussex:

Luke Wright (C), Phil Salt, Laurie Evans, Alex Carey (WK), David Wiese, Harry Finch/Ollie Robinson, Chris Jordan, Will Beer, Danny Briggs, Jason Behrendorff, Reece Topley.

Bench: Harry Finch/Ollie Robinson.

Essex:

Cameron Delport, Tom Westley, Adam Wheater (WK), Dan Lawrence, Ryan ten Doeschate, Ravi Bopara, Paul Walter, Simon Harmer (C), Mohammad Amir, Sam Cook, Adam Zampa.

Bench: Shane Snater, Jamie Porter, Aaron Beard.

Top Picks:

Chris Jordan has taken six wickets from four matches he played since his comeback. Jason Behrendorff could come handy under the lights with the new ball if Sussex bowl 2nd. Dan Lawrence will be aiming to convert the starts he gets more often.

Captain and Vice-Captain Selection:

Captain – Phil Salt, Tom Westley, Cameron Delport

Vice-captain – Luke Wright, David Wiese, Laurie Evans, Dan Lawrence

Phil Salt is the safest option as captain or vice-captain for this game. He has scored 271 runs across nine innings this season at an average of 45.16 with help of two fifties. Tom Westley is also trustable for multiplier roles. He has got only one fifty but has two 40+ scores in five other innings where he was dismissed.

Suggested Playing XI for Head to Head/Small Leagues:

Keeper – Adam Wheater

Batsmen – Cameron Delport (VC), Tom Westley, Luke Wright, Phil Salt (C), Laurie Evans

All-Rounders – David Wiese, Ravi Bopara

Bowlers – Mohammad Amir, Reece Topley, Chris Jordan

Suggested Playing XI for Grand Leagues/Mega Leagues:

Keeper – Alex Carey

Batsmen – Tom Westley (C), Dan Lawrence, Phil Salt, Laurie Evans (VC)

All-Rounders – David Wiese, Ravi Bopara, Ryan ten Doeschate

Bowlers – Adam Zampa, Chris Jordan, Jason Behrendorff

Expert Advice:

As many top-order batsmen as possible from both teams have to be picked for this game. Essex’s bowlers have been quite inconsistent this season. In such a case, their batsmen are trustworthy compared to the bowlers. On the other hand, it is the top three that has scored the bulk of runs for Sussex.

Probable Winners:

Sussex is expected to continue their unbeaten record at home unless Essex’s batsmen fire big.

*Disclaimer: This team is based on the understanding, analysis and instinct of the author. While selecting your team, consider the points mentioned and make your own decision.